Supreme Court relief for Teesta Setalvad, stays Gujarat High Court's surrender order over riots

New Delhi, July 1

Protecting social activist Teesta Setalvad from arrest, the Supreme Court on Saturday night stayed for a week the Gujarat High Court order rejecting her plea for regular bail and asking her to surrender immediately in a case of alleged fabrication of evidence in 2002 post-Godhra riot cases.

In a special late-night hearing, a Bench of Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta questioned the denial of time to Setalvad to appeal against the HC order, saying even an ordinary criminal was entitled to some form of interim relief. The Bench heard the matter in a special sitting after a two-judge Vacation Bench differed on granting interim protection to Setalvad. “After having heard this special leave petition for some time, we are unable to agree while deciding the prayer for interim relief. Therefore, it will be appropriate if, on the orders of the CJI, this petition is placed before the appropriate larger Bench.

“The Registrar (Judicial) is directed to place this order immediately before the CJI,” the two-judge Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Prashant Kumar Mishra said earlier in the evening.

Setalvad approached the apex court for relief soon after the Gujarat High Court rejected her regular bail plea.

Justice Nirzar Desai directed her to surrender immediately. Setalvad had secured interim bail from the apex court in September last year.

The Supreme Court is closed for the summer vacation and will reopen on Monday.